Current-regulator for dynamos



V. G. APPLE. CUBBEEJV REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

. APWICATIDN FILED FEB. I4, 1918. Y1,354,713. Patent@ 001;. 5,1920.

3 SHEETSfSHEET l.

^V. G. APPLE.

CURRENT REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

Patented oct. 5, 1920.A

3 SHEETS-SHLET 2 APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4, 1918. 1,354,713.

v. G. APPLE.

CURRENT REGULATOR FOR DYNAMQS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. 191e.

1,354,713. Famed` 00L. 5,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT G. APPLE, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CURRENT-REGULATOR FOR DYNAMICS.v

Spcification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Original application med April 23, 1917, Serial No. .`163, 803. pivided and this application tiled February .14, 1918. Serial No. 217,147.

structures of this character in which thereA is incorporated with the machine an automatic current regulator.

One of the objects of the invention 1s to provide a current regulator for a dynamo electric machine which is capable, in cooperation with a moving part of the dynamo, to regulate the current produced by the machine to maintain it substantially constant under varying conditions of speed and operation.

f' Another and more specific objectA of the invention is to provide a regulator of the character referred to, which is self contained and which is adapted to be inserted in and removed from the end plate of a dynamo electric machine without leaving trailing wires and other separable or projecting connections extending therefrom.

Other and further objects of the invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a. consideration of the followin conjunction wit the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a central sectional view taken in a horizontal lane showing parts of the armature and ie d pf a dynamo electric machine withthe regulator inserted in the end plate of the dynamo.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the regulator looking at the inner end.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a contact supporting disk of insulating material.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the vibrating Contact, supported by the disk.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of circuits showing a special switch well adapted for use in connection therewith.

llig. 6 is a simplified schematic arrangement of circuits without the switch.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side view of the switch; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the switch taken on line 8*-8 of Fig. 7.

description when taken in' lof the engine of an automobile.

In all of the views the same referen characters indicate similar parts.

Dynamo electric machines are frequently used as motors for startin internal combustlon engines of automo iles and alternativel as electric generators, when driven by' sai eng1ne s,.fo charging storage batteries and 'part1c1pating, in conjunction with the batteries, to furnish current for translating devices that may be associated with the vehicle.

When'functioning as a generator,-jointly,

with the battery-owing to theirregularity of the engine speed, it is desirable to limit the current producing quality of the dynamo, or to maintain it substantiall constant, so that jointly or serially the e ectromotive-forces of the dynamo and battery will not be varied to an appreciable extent or increased to a dangerous degree.

When dynamo is directly connected to the power shaft of an engine, it is advisable to so design the structure that the usual hand crank ma be available in the event of any default o the automatic starter.

The automatic overnor for control of the current, should e dependable, self contained and must, furthermore, vbe staunch,

he present embodiment provides a cur-f rent regulator fo-r operation conjointly with the moving part of the dynamo, that is so organized that it may readily, quickly and bodily be removed from the dynamo frame and replaced, interchangeably, with the starting crank of the engine and subsequently returned to its place in the frame without changing or disturbing its adjustment, and without the necessity of separating or making any other electrical connections.

, In the present embodiment, as exemplified by the drawings: rThe armature 5 is assumed to be supported on the end of the shaft l1 The core 6 which is mounted on the spider 10 carries lthe conductors 7 and 8 that are connected to segments of the commutator 9. Brushes 9 are radially guided in grooves in the insulating plate 13 and are yieldingly held against the inner face of the commutator by the centrifugal action of the armature supplemented by the springs 9a. l0 is a spider ably, of insulating material. The dynamo ranged with the shaft 11.

front plate 13 is fastened to the front end of the magnetic frame 6 of the dynamo by cap screws 4-4 and is provided with a` threaded perforation 14 that is coaxially ar- The casing 15, of the current regulator, is also provided with a threaded portion 16 for coperation with the threaded portion 14 in the frame member. The frame member 15 of the casing, is, preferably, made` of iron or soft steel, which may be subsequently electro-v plated, if desired, and is provided with a central perforated paramagnetlc core 17. Between the annular wall 18 of the casing and the core 17 is an electric coil 19, having, in the present embodiment, one of its terminals 20 connected directly to the casing and the other terminal connected to an insulated ring 21, which surrounds the inner hub of the casing and is insulated therefrom by a circular ring of insulating material. 22. Near the inner end of the casing is an internal shoulder 23 against which rests a perforated `diaphragm or flat ring 24, preferably of magnetic material, which is provided with a perforation 25 somewhat larger in diameter than the diameter of the core 17. The core 17 projectsk through the perforation 25 until its front face is in the same transverse plane with the outer surface of the plate 24. A spacing ring 26 separates the disk 24 from a yielding diaphragm 27 A disk armature 28, necessarily of magnetic material, is secured to the center of the diaphragm 27, as by a pin 29, and is normally in inductive relation with the core 17 and the magnetic plate 24. The path of magf netic flux, produced by the energized coil 19, is through the core 17 the frame l5 of the regulator, through the magnetic plate 24 and the bridging armature 28, to the core 17, thus attracting the. armature 28, toward -the screw 32 is rotated clockwise, the tension of the spring 31 is thereby increased, therefore, it requires a larger current, and a greater magnetic strength, to be produced Aby the coil 19, to attract the armature 28,

than is required when the spring 31 is weaker.

A spacing' ring 33 'separates the disk 27 from another relatively stationary disk'or fiat ring 34. The disk 34 is perforated, as

relatively thick disk 39, of refractory insulating material, which is of smaller diameter, 1n its place. The insulating disk 39 may be of lava, or the like, more clearly shown in Fig. 3. It is provided with a cruciform, centrally disposed opening 40, to receive a cruciform contact member 41. The contact member 41 is guided in its axial movement in the opening 40, but is free t'o slide axially therein.

A clamping ring 42 is screw threaded on its outer periphery, and is provided with an annular shoulder 43 boundin the inner perforation thereof. The insu ating disk 39, rests in the rabbet near the shoulder 43 of the ring 42 and against the surface of the disk 34 that bounds the perforation 35 therein.

Now it will be apparent that when the armature 28 is vibrated, in response to the change in the magnetic flux of the electromagnet, that the cruciform contact member 41 is axially moved with the armature, through the instrumentality of the connecting pin 29, and permitted to participate in such movement by reason of the fact that the cruciform contact 41 is slidably movable but guided in the cruciform perforation in the insulating supporting disk 39.

Separating washers 44 and 45 surround the pin 29 and separate the armature 28 from the exible disk 27 and the latter disk from the contact 41, so that there will be no mutual interference of the parts when they are vibrated by the effect of the electromagnet. VThe end of the engine-armature shaft 11 is axially bored eccentrically to its axis, as at 46. Located in the center of this bore, and freely slidable therein, is a carbon or composition rod or cylinder 47, the front end of which rests upon a ring 48, the rear ortion being guided by the disks 49450.

he rear. part of the rod 47 rests upon a disk of insulatin material 49 which abuts against a dis 50. The rear end of the rod 47 is supported by these disks and is yieldingly pressed forwardly by a spring 51 which is located in a smaller, coaxially arranged perforation 52 in the end of the shaft 11. Screw threaded buttons or ends 52 and 53 may be employed for increasing the effective lengthof the spring 51 so as to va the amount of pressure exerted by it against the carbon rod 47 in its contact with the insulating` disk 39, or to compensate for the wear of the cylinder 47 As the shaft 11 is rotated the carbon cylinder 41 sweeps over the face of the stationary disk 39, and at all times presents its front end surface ina constant vertical plane for contact with the cruciform contact piece 41, which is axially movable through the disk 39. When the armature 28 4is attracted by the electro-magnet, against the f `yielding influence of the spring 31, the cru- The wear on the front surface of the 47 is uniform, and inasmuch as it sweeps over the entire confronting surface orthe face of the cruciform contact 41, the wear on such contact member is also uniform. Therefore the confronting surfaces 41. and 47 are always located in parallel vertical planes. The casing 15 is provided with a recess 55 in which the end of the spring adjustin screw 32 is contained and which is covere by a screw plate, or cover 56, which' is removable only when access to the screw 32 is desirable.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with the regulation as an organization of parts and their mode of operation. The contact makin features of the structure per se, form subject matter of another application filed, herewith, Serial No. 217,155 which has since resulted in Patent No. 1,302,622 granted May 6, 1919, the present application being' divided from Serial No. 163,803, filed April 23, 1917 by Vincent G. Apple, iniwhich said original application parts of the device herein shown, were disclosed 'but were ,not speciall claimed, other parts of which were claime but were re uired to be divided from the original `app ication.

In Fig. 6 of this application there is shown a simplified diagram of circuits in which the regulator is especially adapted, in which 60 is the dynamo' having apositive brush 61 and a negative brush 62 with a series field 63 connected by a wire 64 to the negative brush and by wire 65 to the ne ative terminal of a storage battery 66. he other terminal 67, of the storage battery, is connected to a'wire 68 while the terminal 69 of the storage battery is connected with a wire and between the wires 68 and 70 are translating devices 71 requiring substantially constant electrical potential. The terminal 67 of the storage battery is connected by a wire 72 to the rotating contact 47 of the regulator, and is also connected by wire 73 through resistance 80 to the wire 74 that is connected to the end 75 of the shunt field winding 76 of the dynamo. The other end, 77, of the shunt, is connected to the wire 65 by the wire 78. A wire 79 is connected to the negative brush-72 of the commutator of the dynamo and is connected to thecoil 19 of the regulator. The other end of the coil 19 is connected to the frame 15 of the governor or regulator, as at 20. 1M resistance coil 80 is connected to the frame 15,

as at 67 and to the point 75 where it is connected to the shunt field terminal. The positive brush 61 of the dynamo is connected by wire 82 to the ground or terminal 67. i

When the dynamo is functioning as a generator the current through the series field 63 is in the opposite direction to that which it would be when it is functioning as a motor and thus assists the regulator in maintaining the current substantially constant under varying speed of the, armature. When operating as a motor it assists the magnetizing effect of the shunt ield 76, increasing the torque effort, but when operating as a generator it tends to decrease the magnetic 'effect produced by the shunt eld 76. By this means in conjunction with the vibrating contacts, between the members 41 and 47, the current produced by the dynamo is maintained substantially constant.

The spring pressed strip 79a is secured to the plate 13 by a screw and makes electrical connection with the insulated ring 21 which is connected, as at 75, with the magnet coil 19. The brass threaded ring 15 is connected with the embedded strip 15a and this strip is connected to the frame of the machine or ground by the metal ring 15b through the license plate holder 90, the screws 4 and the frame 6.

The switch 95 yis shown to illustrate one means for connecting the cells of battery 66 and 66 in series when the dynamo is used as a motor to start the engine and to subsequently connect them in parallel relation when the batteriesare being charged by the dynamo. This switch will be more specifically describedand claimed in connection with the electricA circuit'shown, in an application to be hereafter iled.

The casing 96 contains a vertically reciprocatable push rod 97 having a push knob 98 on its upper end for application of pressure by the footof the operator. A spring 99 holds the rod normally in its elevated position.

Two other springs 100 and 101 surround the rod, being confined thereon by the washers 102 and pins 103 and freely slidable on the rod and between these springs is a switch closing bar 104 and a bar of insulating material 105. The latter is provided with projections 106 and 107 and above these bars and secured to them is a notched block 108. This block is provided with a screw threaded collar 109 which passes through the bars 104 and 105. A nut 110 secures the bars and the block together. On each side of the notched block, in housings 111 are spring pressed balls 112 which engage the notches and indicate to the operator the/position of the bars 104 and 105 with reference to their co erating switch elements.

erminals 114 and'115 of the switch are connected by wires 116 and 117, respectively, and are connected to the positive terminal of the battery 66' and to the ne ative terminal of the battery, or series o cells, 66, respectively. Vertically extending .spring contacts or brushes 118 and 119 are connected to the terminals 114 and 115, respectively, and when the bar 104 is depressed the positive and negative terminals of the v batteries 66 and 66 are connected together.

When the `rod 97 is depressed to its greatest extent the ba'r 104 joins :these terminals as a condition precedent to operating the dynamo as a motor l`to start the engine. After the engine has been started the rod 97 is released and the parts are moved from their depressed position by I.the spring 99 but further movement is arrested b 120 (Fig. 7) which is apart of a ever 121 which is pivoted to the casing at 122.

In this position, shown in Fig. 5, circuit is now opened between wires 68 Land 70', 116 and 117 and the batteries re in parallel relation with the translatin .dvices 1, over the wires 68 and 70, from t e binding posts f 67 and 69. lThe binding posts 123 and 124 are now connected together by the resilient tongues 125 and 126 and these wires include.

the igniting devices between them and the ground just as the wires 68 and 70 contain the other translating devices. Resilient tongues 127 connectfthe terminals 114 and 115 to the terminals 67 and 69, respectively, by operation of the projections 106 and 107 on the bar 105. When it is desired to open all circuits the lever 121 may be kicked toward the plunger rod, whereupon the spring will raise the vertically movable switch elements.

A lock 130 is placed on the upper end of the lever arm 121, whichmay be used to lock said arm in vertical position under the head or button 98, which will prevent use of the switch until it has been unlocked and the lever moved out of the path of said head.

The drawings, especially Fig. 1, clearly show my regulator and its mode of operation will be manifest from the foregoing description and the circuits as outlined and explained.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A current regulator comprising a casing of magnetic material; an axially disposed magnet core, within the casing; a magnet coil surrounding the core; a flat ring of magnetic material contacting the walls of the casing and through which the core projects; an armature confronting the Hat ring and core; a vdisk diaphragm ixed at its edges and on which the armature is mounted and an axially moving contact memberv moved by the diaphragm.

2. A current regulator comprising a casing of magnetic material; a perforate, axia latch any 'disposed magna me, within vthe ing; a magnet coil surrounding the coreja fiat ring of magnetic material contacting` the walls -of the casing and through which the core projects; an armature confronting the -ilat ring and core a diaphragm on which the armature-ismounted; a contact' I membeigjmoved bythe diaphragm, and an ing on the armature.l

. 3. A current regulator comprising a cas- `ing 'of magnetic material; aperforate, axially disposed magnetic core within the casing; a magnet coil surrounding the core; a

adjustable spring inside the core and bear- .lat ring of magnetic material contacting Ithe 'walls of the casing and-through which the core projects; an armature, confronting 'machine having an end plate with an axi-v ally disposed opening substantially concentric v vflth the shaft of the armature thereof;

of a current regulator insertible in said opening; a magnetically movable currentresponsive contact carried by the regulator and a contact rotated by the shaft of the armaturev to regulate the current.

l 5. In combination with a dynamo electric machine having an end plate, with an axial opening concentric with its axis; of a current regulator insertible in said opening; a contact axially movablev by the regulator and a coperating Contact rotatable by the shaft.

6. In combination with a dynamo electric machine having an end support crossing its axial plane; means concentric with its shaft to support a current regulator; a current regulator mounted on said support; a contact axially movable by the said regulator and a coperating contact rotatable by the shaft through an eccentric path.

7. In combination with a dynamo electric machine having an axially perforated plate crossing its axis, of a current regulator, insertible in said perforation, comprising an annular casing of magnetic material; a centrally disposed core therein; a coil surroundingthe core; an armature responsive-to the electro-magnet within thefcasing; a contact, a-xially moved by the armature; a support for said contact to prevent transverse movement thereof; and a spring pressed contact rotatable by said shaft and bearingvagainst said support. l

8. In combination with a dynamo electric machine having an axially-perforated vinternally-threaded plate, crossing its axis, of

the flat. ring and core; a diaphragm on which the` armature is 4mounted; a contact a current regulator comprising an annular casing of magnetic materlal` externally threaded, for insertion in said perforation;

a centrally disposed core therein a coil sur' rounding the core; an armature responsive to the electro-magnet Within the casing; a contact axially moved by the armature; a support for said contact to prevent transverse movement of said contact and a cooperating Contact rotatable by theshaft of the dynamo electric machine through an eccentric path. p

9, En av current regulator, a casing of magnetic material having a centrally Vdisposed core; a coilsurrounding the core; .,an

armature responsive to the core; a flexible confronting and having its axis eccentric to said axially movable Contact.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

viNoENT G. APPLE,l 

